The controversial but undoubtedly big-money boxing match between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson will no longer happen on July 20 as planned. The official Netflix X account, formerly Twitter, posted on Friday evening that the fight would be postponed to a later date after a recent Tyson medical issue.
Tyson was recently aboard a flight heading from Miami to Los Angeles when he required medical attention for what was reported as an ulcer flare-up 30 minutes prior to the airplane landing. Passengers onboard were delayed 25 minutes once the plane landed.
While Tyson claimed to be “feeling 100% even though I don’t need to be to beat Jake Paul,” it turns out the medical issue was enough to force the fight to be postponed to a later date.
“I want to thank my fans around the world for their support and understanding during this time,” Tyson said in a Netflix article. “Unfortunately, due to my ulcer flare-up, I have been advised by my doctor to lighten my training for a few weeks to rest and recover. My body is in better overall shape than it has been since the 1990s and I will be back to my full training schedule soon. Jake Paul, this may have bought you some time, but in the end, you will still be knocked out and out of boxing for good. I appreciate everyone’s patience and can’t wait to deliver an unforgettable performance later this year.”
The idea of the fight has been loudly criticized by many as Paul, the social media superstar-turned-boxer, is 30 years younger than the 57-year-old Tyson. Tyson looked great for his age in a 2020 exhibition fight against Roy Jones Jr. but has not had a professional fight since a 2005 loss to Kevin McBride.
While the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation allowed Paul vs. Tyson to move forward as an officially licensed professional bout, the fight is set to feature special rules, including eight two-minute rounds, rather than the standard three-minute frames of professional boxing. Also, both boxers will wear 14-ounce gloves, which are larger than standard and thus will take power away from punches.
“I fully support postponing the event so Mike Tyson has no excuses come fight night,” Paul said. “My fans know I don’t want to face Iron Mike at anything but his best, but let there be no mistake – when he steps into the ring with me, I will be ready to claim my W with a sensational finish. Paul vs Tyson will be one for the ages, and I promise to bring my best for this once-in-a-lifetime matchup.”
The fight is planned to take place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas and will likely draw more attention and money than any boxing fight in recent memory. It also will be streamed live on Netflix, the first time a boxing match will be shown on the streaming service.
